A two-way or “on/off” switch is used in an electrical circuit to toggle voltage to and from an electrical load when there is only one switch in the electrical circuit. A standard two-way switch comprises a movable toggle member and two terminals that are either connected or not connected to each other depending on the position of the movable toggle member. Other two-way switches used in electrical circuits use electronic circuitry means to connect and disconnect their two terminals.
Three-way and four-way switches are used in electrical circuits to toggle voltage to an electrical device from two or more locations. For example, two three-way switches can be used to control a light at the top of a stairway from both the top and bottom of the stairway. When more than two switch locations are required to control the electrical load, any number of four-way switches are used between the two three-way switches in the electrical circuit, e.g., an electrical circuit requiring five switches to control a single lighting fixture would contain two three-way switches and three four-way switches. Without the present invention assembly, only three-way and four-way switches can be used in electrical circuits using multiple switches.
When using “conventional wiring” for circuits containing three-way and four-way switches, each three-way and four-way switch in the electrical circuit is connected to the next switch in the electrical circuit by two “traveler wires” or “travelers”. One of the two traveler wires between any two switches will carry AC Mains or “line voltage” and the other traveler of the pair will not carry line voltage. After a toggle of any switch in the electrical circuit, in one or more of the pair of traveler wires between the switches, the traveler carrying line voltage will shift to the other wire of the pair.
Certain specialty switches, typically using electronic circuitry means to connect and disconnect their terminals to and from each other are manufactured for use in electrical circuits as two-way, three-way and four-way switches. The most common specialty switches are the dimmer switch and the timer switch. Two-way timer and dimmer switches are available for use in electrical circuits that control the load from a single switch location, and three-way timer and dimmer switches are available for use in electrical circuits where the electrical load is controlled from multiple switch locations.
Some specialty switches are only manufactured for use in electrical circuits as two-way switches. For example, certain tamper-resistant key switches are only manufactured as a two-way switch and therefore cannot be used in circuits where the electrical load is controlled from multiple switch locations. Other specialty switches only manufactured as two-way switches typically use electronic circuitry means to connect and disconnect the switch's two terminals to and from each other; these switches e.g., monitor temperature levels and use pre-set temperatures to determine when to connect or disconnect the switch's terminals, e.g., an attic fan switch; use sound detection, connecting the switch's terminals when the sound level exceeds a pre-set decibel level; receive and respond to certain radio signals from a radio transmitter; receive infrared (IR) signals, similar to those emitted by a television remote control, and connect or disconnect the switch's terminals in response to particular signals; use motion detection, connecting the switch's terminals when motion is detected; or measure daylight lighting levels, e.g., an outdoor lamp switch disconnecting the switch's terminals when the amount of light outdoors exceeds a pre-set level. As two-way switches only, these switches cannot be used in electrical circuits where the electrical load is controlled from multiple switch locations.
Certain Internet-enabled Wi-Fi and Bluetooth ready two-way switches used in electrical circuits are designed to be responsive to wireless signals originating from a Smartphone device, either received directly or via a wireless router. These switches can control the electrical load in an electrical circuit from the Smartphone device, but are often only manufactured as two-way switches. Consequently these switches cannot be used in electrical circuits where the electrical load is controlled by multiple switches.
Using the invention assembly, a two-way switch, designed for use in a single-switch electrical circuit, can replace a three-way or four-way switch in an electrical circuit where the electrical load is controlled by multiple switches. By using the invention assembly, a switch manufacturer can avoid having to design and manufacture three-way or four-way variations of their specialty two-way switches, by incorporating the invention assembly circuitry into their specialty switch, or by using their specialty switch in conjunction with the standalone invention assembly. As such, a invention assembly that allows any standard or specialty two-way switch to be used in electrical circuits where the electrical load is controlled by multiple switches is novel and useful.